Car-starter



M/QMM/ UNTTee STATES PATENT Ormea.,

ALFRED V. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 271,661, dated February 6, 1883.

Application filed December 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it y)mvg/concern Be it known that I, ALFRED W. SMITH, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Starters, ot' which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertnins to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section, showing the starter in position for use with the draw-bar locked; Fig. 2, alike View, showing itin use with the draw-bar unlocked ,-Fig. 3, a view of theplate and lug, and Fig. 4 a view of the link and rear end of the draw-bar.

Like letters ofret'erenceindicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

Myinvention relates more especially to that class of car-starters which are employed for starting the cars on horse-railways; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement ot' the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a simpler and more effective device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.

In the drawings, A represents the iioor of the car, B,the platform; G,the rear trucks; D, the forward trucks, and E the draw-bar.

The forward endet' thedraw-bar is arranged to slide horizontally in proper bearings inthe cross-beam Gr, its rear end being supported by a T-shaped lug, d, and slotted plate H. This plate is h'tted into the floor or trame-work of the car in an inclined position, as shown in Figs. l and 2, its inner end, a., being higher than its forward end, x, or in such a manner that when the bar E is drawn forward its rear end will be gradually lowered as it advances and raised when it recedes.

Pivoted at v to theinnerend of the draw-bar there are two arms, J, arranged as shown in Fig. 4, heingconnected at theirlowereuds by the rod j' in such a manner as to form a link which is widest atits free end j' and narrowest atits pivoted end g. The upper ends of the arms are inclined or beveled, as shown at z, and when the draw-bar recedes or assumes the position shown in Fig. l the inclined ends come into contact with the under side ot' the horizontal `flanges r r, projecting from either side ot' the draw-bar, thereby preventing the free end of the link from falling into a vertical position when the draw-bar has fully recede'd.

Projecting downwardly from the under side ofthe platform B there is a bracket or stud, K, through which the draw-bar passes, a coiled spring, L, beingdisposed on the bar, its inner end abutting against the shoulderz'and its outer end against said stud, the spring acting expansively to force the draw-bnr inward to its fullest extent.

Disposed on the axle b there is a tixed gear 0r spur wheel, M, provided with teeth, which curve or incline in the direction of the link, the spaces between the teeth being so formed as to adapt them to receive the rod f,as shown in Figs. l and 2.

A spring-treadle, P, pivoted to the standard qand provided at its forward end with the vertically-arranged lever N, is arranged on the platform B, the' lever being designed to lock when the bar recettes.

In the use of my improvement, the drawbar being locked and its link in the position shown in Fig. l, to start the car the driver nrst raises the locking-leverN by placing his foot on the treadle l?, and then starts up the horses attached to the draw-bar. As the drawbar advances, the rodfin the arms Jengages the spur-wheel M, the power of the horses thereby being applied to the` periphery ot' said wheel and exerted to the best advantage in starting up the car, in a manner which will be readily obvious without a more explicit description. When the car is fully under way, as shown in Fig. 2, the horses may be slackeued up or partially stopped, permitting the spring L to t'orce the draw-bar E inward and the parts to again assume the position shown in Fig. 1, causing the wheel M to revolve out of contact with the link and the power required to draw the car to be exerted ou the locking-lever N. i

In some car-starters there is no springin the draw-bar E by falling into the notch m of the spur-wheel as the bar recedes.

connection with the draw-bar, and the strain produced upon the horses iu overcoming the inertia of the ear is frequently very injurious. My invention is designed to obviate this objection, and also to afford a simple and effect-- ive device for the purpose for which it is intended; and to this end I make use of the spring L, in connection with the other parts described, the spring serving to relieve the sudden shock or strain upon the horses which would otherwise occur. As thedrawbar cornlnences to advance in starting up the car its inner end gradually drops as the part d slides down the inclined plate Il', thereby lowering' the rodfand enabling it to engage a tooth on the wheel M, which might be passed over were said plate perfectlvlevel or arranged in a horizontal position. The inclined plate also lifts the inner end of the draw-bar out of the way As the ear, when moving, is liable t0 have a lateral or vibr'atory motion caused by the roughness or inequalities 0f the track, the link is constructed wider at its lovver than at its upper end, as seen in Fig. 4, thereby preventing it from binding or cramping on the wheel M.

The arms J and rodfmay be integral or formed of one piece, it' preferred7 and the link may be made in any other shape desired, provided it properly performs the same functions.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is.-

1. The improved ear-starter described, the same consisting of the draw-bar E, springr L, lever N, notch m, flanges o', arms J, rod f, plate H, and wheel M, all constructed, conibined, and arranged to operate substantially as set forth. 1

2. In a car-starter substantially such as described, the inclined plate H, in combination with the bar E, substantially as 'and for the purpose specitied.

3. In a car-starter substantially such as described, the pivoted arms J, provided with the beveled ends e and rodf, in combination with the bar E, provided with the laterally-projecting;` flanges r, substantially as specified.

4. In a car-starter substantially such as described, the pivoted arms J and rod f, in coinbiuation with the dranHba-r E and spur-Wheel M, said arms and rod heilig arranged to form a link which is wider at its lower than at its upper end, substantially as and for' the purpose set forth.

'ALFRED W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

H. E. METGALF, U. A. SHAW. 

